‹ Holidays · The Madrid food guide
Thanksgiving to New Year's · 2026-27
The holidays in Madrid
The market in the Plaza Mayor, the lights down Gran Vía and Alcalá, turrón from Casa Mira, Lhardy's consommé on Christmas Eve, twelve grapes under the clock at Sol, churros at dawn, and the roscón for the Three Kings on January 6.
Photo: Luis García (Zaqarbal), CC BY-SA 3.0 ESThe dates to know
- Dec 1 to Dec 31Plaza Mayor Christmas market (opening day not announced; some sources say late November)Listed dates, check before you go · From esMadrid
- Thu, Dec 24Nochebuena: the big family dinner
- Thu, Dec 31Nochevieja: twelve grapes to the chimes of the Puerta del Sol clockFrom Visit Madrid
- Tue, Jan 5Cabalgata de Reyes: the Three Kings parade (2026 left at 6pm and reached Cibeles before 9pm)Listed dates, check before you go · From esMadrid
- Wed, Jan 6Día de Reyes: roscón for breakfast, and the presents
The Christmas markets
Where to drink something hot and buy something you can eat on the walk.
1
Plaza Mayor Christmas market
Get: A figure for the belén, a joke wig, and a bocadillo de calamares from a bar under the arcades.
The city's Christmas market since the 1800s, in its grandest square.
Go in the evening, then walk to the lights.
From esMadrid · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo: Emilio J. Rodríguez Posada, CC BY-SA 4.0
The lights
The lights worth leaving dinner for, in walking order.
The lights walk
From Cibeles up Alcalá past the tree to Sol, then on to the Plaza Mayor market. About 30 minutes.
Walk it in Google Maps2A photo like it
Cibeles lights
Look for: The light show projected on the Palacio de Cibeles.
Where the city switches its lights on.
Start here after dark and walk up Alcalá.
From esMadrid, The Objective · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Luis García (Zaqarbal), CC BY-SA 3.0 ES
3
Gran Vía and Alcalá lights
Look for: The tall tree of lights where the two streets meet, and the arches down both.
The grandest stretch; last year a 22-meter tree stood at the corner.
Walk Alcalá down to Sol: it's the best-lit street.
From esMadrid, Madrid Happy People · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo: Luis García (Zaqarbal), CC BY-SA 3.0 ES
4
Puerta del Sol lights
Look for: The tree under the clock tower you'll be watching on the 31st.
The center of Madrid, and of New Year's Eve.
Go on to Casa Mira for turrón, then the Plaza Mayor.
From esMadrid · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo: Asqueladd, CC BY-SA 3.0
The holiday sweets
Where to buy the turrón and the roscón de Reyes. Order ahead: the good ones sell out in the last week.
5A photo like it
Casa Mira
Get: Turrón: the hard Alicante and the soft Jijona; polvorones and marzipan.
Turrón makers since the 1800s, six generations on, and the line out the door in December says the rest.
Go on a weekday morning to skip the line.
From esMadrid, Time Out · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: La.blasco, CC BY 2.0
6A photo like it
Doble Uve
Get: The roscón de Reyes, the 1kg one.
Named the best artisan roscón in Madrid's bakers' championship.
Limited numbers: order ahead for January 6.
From Time Out · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0
7A photo like it
La Duquesita
Get: The roscón, with or without cream.
A pastry shop from 1914 and a past winner of the same roscón championship.
Order a few days before the 6th.
From Time Out · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Tamorlan, CC BY 3.0
Christmas Eve and Day
Nochebuena, the 24th, is the big night, mostly at home. Here's what Madrid carries home for it.
Madrid's old restaurant since 1839; its consommé is a Christmas habit.
Takeaway from the shop at the front; last year 22€ a liter.
From Lhardy · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0
New Year's Eve
Grapes under the clock, then chocolate and churros.
9A photo like it
Puerta del Sol at midnight
Get: Twelve grapes, one for each chime of the clock.
Spain rings in the year watching this clock on TV.
Arrive early; peel your grapes before. The metro closes about 1:30am, then night buses.
From Visit Madrid, Merca2 · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Luis García (Zaqarbal), CC BY-SA 3.0 ES
10A photo like it
Chocolatería San Ginés
Get: Chocolate con churros.
Where Madrid goes after the grapes. Expect a line.
Walk over from Sol; it's three minutes.
From Chef Amazing's madrid guide · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0
On the map
Plan your holiday trip
Tell Chef your dates and where you're staying. He puts the markets, the lights and the dinners you save into your Trips and fills the days around them. Free, no password.
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The holidays somewhere else
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The holidays in New York
From the tree going up on November 7 to the ball dropping on New Year's Eve.
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The holidays in Paris
The Champs-Élysées lit from late November, the Christmas market by Notre-Dame, the bûches de Noël from the great pâtissiers, the réveillon dinners on the 24th, the Saint-Sylvestre on the 31st, and the galette des rois in January..
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The holidays in London
The West End lit from early November, Winter Wonderland and the river markets, the mince pies worth crossing town for, who's serving Christmas Day (the Tube doesn't run), and the New Year's Eve dinners. With our own holiday Almanac..
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The holidays in Rome
Rome does Christmas around the table.
Daniel X. O'Neil from USA13 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Chicago
The tree goes up in Millennium Park on November 20 and the German market opens the same night. Here's the lights weekend, the Walnut Room under its tree, stollen from the old German bakeries, who's open Christmas Eve, and where to eat on New Year's Eve..
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The holidays in Vienna
The Christkindlmarkt in front of the Rathaus, Punsch at Spittelberg, the chandeliers over the Graben, Vanillekipferl from Demel, carp and a long dinner on the 24th, and the whole Innere Stadt out on the Silvesterpfad on the 31st..
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The holidays in Barcelona
The Santa Llúcia fair in front of the cathedral, the lights up Passeig de Gràcia, turrón from the old shops on Portal de l'Àngel, a long Christmas lunch on the 25th, canelons on Sant Esteve, and grapes at midnight on the 31st..
Alf van Beem6 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Amsterdam
The Light Festival on the canals, skating on Museumplein, oliebollen from a stall in the cold, a long Christmas with two days off, and a New Year's Eve that, from this year, moves to Museumplein..
Good to know
What are the best Christmas markets in Madrid?
Plaza Mayor Christmas market (Plaza Mayor, Centro, About December 1 (maybe sooner) to December 31).
Where are the best Christmas lights in Madrid?
The lights walk: Cibeles lights, then Gran Vía and Alcalá lights, then Puerta del Sol lights, then Plaza Mayor Christmas market. From Cibeles up Alcalá past the tree to Sol, then on to the Plaza Mayor market. About 30 minutes.
Where can you buy the turrón and the roscón de Reyes in Madrid?
Casa Mira: Turrón: the hard Alicante and the soft Jijona; polvorones and marzipan. Doble Uve: The roscón de Reyes, the 1kg one. La Duquesita: The roscón, with or without cream.
Where to eat on New Year's Eve in Madrid?
Puerta del Sol at midnight (Puerta del Sol): Twelve grapes, one for each chime of the clock. Chocolatería San Ginés (Pasadizo de San Ginés 5, near Sol): Chocolate con churros.
Every pick was checked on November 8, 2026 and says where Chef found it. Market dates, holiday hours and menus change, and some places haven't posted 2026 yet (each card says which year it's from): check before you go. Photos marked "a photo like it" aren't of that place. Chef Amazing isn't paid by any place here. Something wrong or missing? hello@chefamazing.com.
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